Children are at a higher risk of developing autism if their parents have technical jobs, a new study found.
The risks were higher among children whose fathers were in the technical industry. Technical jobs are defined as those that are more non-people oriented. For the study, researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) used data from the United States government's Standard Occupational Classification system. They divided parents into two groups based on their occupation - technical and non-technical.
Researchers noted that children whose fathers worked as engineers were at two times higher risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This risk increased to four times for children with fathers working in the finance industry and to six times for children with fathers working in the health care or medical industry. Though no such association was found with a mother's occupation, researchers noted that the risk of ASD was the highest among children whose both parents had technical jobs. "Parental occupation could be indicative of autistic-like behaviors and preferences, and serve as another factor in a clinician's diagnosis of a child with suspected autism. Medical students can be taught that this is one of the things to consider," lead author Aisha Dickerson said in a press statement. Many studies have highlighted how parents' employment affects a child's overall well-being. Several studies have highlighted that both working parents provide better emotional and financial support for their children. However, other studies have highlighted that both working parents may result in the absence of parental guidance in a child's life. This may result in behavioral issues in children as they grow up. The findings of the new study were presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Atlanta, May 16, 2014.
